of detroit



Patented May 19, 1868.

` vB. BRIODY.

A'tcial Limb.

N. PErERS. WNW-ef. wnmgm. un

n. isi-ricer, or bernois., nicnreAul Leners Param. No. 73,048, einem@ 19, 186s.

' urnovnueur IniinrrrIcIAL Lijinss.

@in trlgttnlt rttetrtr tt it tlgcsc gettoni tintin mit mating peut tf tigt stmt.

l TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: K

Be it known that I, B. BRIODY, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne, and State of Michigan, have invented l a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Limbs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying.drawings, forming part of this specification.

of the human leg below the knee-joint, whereby it is designed to provide amore cheap and simple appliance, which is less liable to get out of order than those now in use, and it consists principally in the construction of the ankle and toe-joints, asV will be more fully described on reference to the Vaccompanying drawings, whereinv Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation, and Figure 2 represents a plan of thefoot with the leg removed at the ankle-joint, and partially broken away to show the toe-joint. i

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. V l A represents'the foot, B the anklerand C the toes; a represents the pintle of a hinge-joint, which is secured to the foot A, in a socket, Z2, for securing the lower end ol' the ankle, by thebolts d, running through the foot to a socket, e, in thebottom' of. the same, where they are held by nuts g, screwed up against India rubber, or other yielding washer. To the said pintle are jointed wrods h, running upward, andterminating"int the bottom of Va socket formed in the leg above the ankle, where they are in like manner` secured by nuts g," and yielding washers f', I f

D D are thick rubber springs, interposed between the bottom of the socketb andV the end of the ankle, on either side ofthe hinge-joint. i

e The part C, representing the toes of the human foot, is 'jointed to the foot Aina similar manner by a. single joint, d2 d2, but are not socketed in the same manner, the rubber springs F F being arranged only above, that is, on theA upper side of the joint. The contiguous surfaces of the parts A C are. curved -or rounded, as

shown in the drawing. v v

l ,The bottom ofthe foot may be covered by heavy canvas, leather, or any other material that will yieldto action of the toe-joint; so also a strip of leather -or canvas may be secured over the opening of the toe-joint, to prevent the entrance of dirt or other foul matter, and also to serve to prevent the 'spring F from throwing the toe part beyond the properliorzontal line ofthe foot after it is raised from the ground in the act of walkinc'.

Tle springs D D are intended to be so adjusted, with reference to the parts A and'B, tha-twhen the foot is raised from the ground they will hold the two part-s at or about right angles to cach other, but will yield in either direction, in the act of walking, while the foot is on the ground, sufficiently to allow the parts toniove l as in the natural foot, .without halting or stillness,- `and immediately restore them to the natural position when the foot is raised from the ground. Y trepresents a semicircular steel spring, interposed between the ankle-joint and the lower end of the ankle,

in an inverted position, so that the edges oi the saule bear upon the upper faces of thc pa 1ts D D, whereby any looseness of the joint, in a vertical direction, is taken up, so that when the foot is taken up from or set down upon the ground, no shock occurs, the said'snring pressing thc parts away from cach other when raised from the ground, and yielding to the pressure ofthe seme together when the foot rests on the ground.

By reason ofthe use of the yielding'washers, under the nuts of thejoint-bolts, thejoint'swill readilyyield in a lateral direction in walking on rough ground, when the foot is liable to tread unevenly, without undue strain upon the stump ci the wearer, and will as readily restore the parts when the foot is raised aga-ini' I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the parts A and B, by means of a hinge joint, `constructed substantially as and forthe purpose described.

- The nature of my invention relates to improvements in artificial legs and feet, to be used in substitution 2. The combination ofthe parts A and C, by a bringe joint, substantially as and'for th purpose described.

3. The combination, with tbe hinge-joint d d, constructed substantially as described, of the rubber or lother yielding washer-springsff, as and for the purpose described.

v4.. The combination, .with the parts A and B, and the hinge-joint as described, of tbe India-rubber or other yielding springs D D, substantially es and for the-purpose described. ,l

5. The combination, with the parts A and C, and their binge-joints i2 d2, of the rubber or other yielding springs F, substantially as and for 'the purpose described. i

6. The combination, with the parts A and B, jointed together as described, of the semcular springvh, substantiaily as and for the purpose set forth.`

B. BRIODY.

Witnesses ELON FARNSWORTH, ,ALFRED RUssELL. 

